


Call It Love in Idleness

by bavariansugarcookie



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Bisexual Archie Andrews, Bisexual Veronica Lodge, Demisexual Jughead Jones, Don't copy this to another site, F/M, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Polyamory, Shakespeare Quotations, everyone is oblivious, except for Betty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-23 12:27:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18151880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bavariansugarcookie/pseuds/bavariansugarcookie
Summary: Veronica gets more drama than she bargained for when she signed up for Drama class.





	Call It Love in Idleness

“I can’t believe Miss Davis is forcing us to do this play,” Jughead grumbled.

“Will it kill you to do _one_ extracurricular activity?” Veronica asked.

“It might,” Jughead argued, and she rolled her eyes.

"At least it's A Midsummer Night's Dream," Betty said, ever the peacemaker. "It could've been King Lear."

Just then Kevin walked into the commons with the cast list. Veronica and Cheryl looked at each other as he pinned it to the bulletin board and raced across the room to see it.

“PUCK??” Cheryl yelped. “Really?”

Veronica scanned the list for her name.

 

_Theseus- Trev_

_Hippolyta - Val_

_Helena - Betty Cooper_

_Hermia - Veronica Lodge_

_Demetrius - Archie Andrews_

_Lysander - Jughead Jones???_

 

She looked over at Betty. “It’s just because I’m short, isn’t it?” she asked.

“Probably,” Betty teased, standing on tiptoe so she could rest her elbows on Veronica's shoulders.

Archie came up and stared at the list like he’d seen a ghost. “Demetrius?” he groaned. “I’m gonna have _so_ many lines.

Jughead leaned an elbow on Archie’s shoulder to look at the list. “Guess we’ll be chasing each other with swords. Just like the old days.”

Archie cracked a reluctant smile.

Betty said, “I saw a video on Youtube where they used pool noodles instead of swords...” as Jughead lunged with an imaginary lightsaber, and Archie parried.

“That sounds fun,” Jughead said. He looked down and caught Veronica’s eye. “I guess we’re running away together.”

“Before you ditch me in the woods,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “Every girl’s dream.”

“Dreamboat material,” Jughead said with a grin, and Veronica laughed despite herself.

Kevin came around with a box of scripts. “Alright, nerds, here are your scripts, the first rehearsal is Monday after school, if you try to skip out I will hunt you down and drag you there myself.”

Archie laughed. “This’ll be fun.”

“You’re telling me,” Veronica said.

Veronica walked into the auditorium on Monday and Miss Davis waved her over, with a vaguely frazzled look on her face.

“Oh good, Veronica, you’ve done costumes before, right?”

“I mean, sort of?” Veronica said and Miss Davis nodded and shoved a tape measure into her hands.

“Perfect, can you go to the music room and take the girls’ measurements for costumes? I asked Kevin to do the boys.”

“Ummm, ok,” Veronica said, and Miss Davis patted her shoulder.

“Thank you! The a capella group is here even though I made _sure_ to reserve the auditorium, so now I have to sort _that_ all out. I’ll be back soon!” She said, running off with a jingle of beads.

Veronica walked backstage and cut through to the music room, where it was mass chaos. There were scripts thrown everywhere, backpacks and jackets piled up on the chairs, and half-empty soda bottles scattered everywhere.

Kevin looked up and sighed when he saw her. “Oh thank God, Veronica, can you help me?”

But Veronica was staring at a clothing rack against the wall, her mouth open. “What the hell is _that_?”

Kevin sighed. “I just went through all the boxes of costumes and grabbed anything that looked vaguely Greek.”

“No, no, no,” Veronica said, running down the risers to the front of the classroom. “We can’t use these.”

“But it’s all we have, Veronica,” Kevin said.

Veronica rifled through the rack. “Sweat stains, sweat stains, scary mystery stain.” She wrinkled her nose. “They all smell _terrible_.”

“They were in boxes for a while,” Kevin said, and Veronica raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

“Kevin, this one has holes in it! And what I hope to _God_ is fake blood.” She pulled it off the rack and stuck her arm through the gaping holes.

Kevin wrinkled his nose. “Maybe Thisbe’s torn robe?”

Veronica laughed. “I wouldn’t let my worst enemy wear this, Kevin.”

“Awww, thanks, babe!” Cheryl drawled.

“Don’t flatter yourself, honey, I wasn’t talking about you,” Veronica said sweetly.

“Who then?” Jughead called from across the room.

“Jillian Michaels from camp, it’s a long story, you don’t want to hear it,” Veronica said, waving her hand vaguely.

“Ummm, yes I _do_ ,” Kevin said, and Veronica cleared her throat, hoping she wasn’t blushing.

“Seriously, Kevin, we can’t use any of this.”

Kevin ran his fingers through his hair. “Well I don’t know what to do then, this is everything I could find….” Veronica smiled up at him and he groaned. “You’re not serious?”

“Come on, Kevin, you know I can do it!” she said. “And you’ll have your hands full corralling these weirdos.”

Just then Moose tripped and bumped into Josie, sending her bag of Cheetos flying across the room.

“Oh my God,” Kevin muttered under his breath. Veronica looked up at him, batting her lashes, and he sighed. “Alright, but you have to get approval from Davis, and you can’t get too carried away, we have like $2 to spend.”

She grinned. “You of all people should know what I can do with a beer budget, Kevin.”

Kevin groaned. “I thought I was supposed to be in charge,” he whispered, looking at the mayhem.

Veronica patted his arm sympathetically. “Awww, Kevin, you’re so cute. That was never gonna happen.”

Just then Reggie and Moose started wrestling. “Hey, cut it out, or I’ll make you wear the sweat suit!” Veronica called, pointing at them warningly. Reggie let go of Moose’s neck with a huff and Kevin stared at her.

“Sometimes I forget you’re a wizard,” he said.

Veronica shrugged. “You know what they say about great power.”

Kevin laughed, rolling his eyes. “Ok, Uncle Ben.”

Once Miss Davis got the a capella situation sorted out, she called everyone into the auditorium. They sprawled in the seats while Miss Davis monologued about the importance of theatre and all the other plays she’d been in.

Veronica was surreptitiously scrolling through Pinterest looking for costume ideas, hardly paying attention, when she heard Miss Davis say, “But what really matters is the raw chemistry between the actors…”

“Kinda weird to say to a room full of high schoolers,” Jughead muttered and Veronica snickered. He winked at her and then looked innocently at Miss Davis, who thankfully was too enraptured to notice the disruption.

“I was in a production of Aida where Aida and Radames _hated_ each other. Could barely stand to look at each other, let alone profess their undying love for each other. I can teach anyone the lines…” Veronica glanced over at Archie, who looked extremely skeptical. “But only you can make me believe you _mean_ them.”

She paused -- either for dramatic effect, or applause -- and then clapped her hands when applause was not forthcoming. “Ok, let’s see what you’ve got,” she said. “Act 1, Scene 1, Athenians, let’s go.”

After rehearsal everyone left as soon as possible -- except for Kevin, who was stuck in a production meeting with Miss Davis. Veronica walked up and cleared her throat. “Hi Miss Davis, did Kevin tell you that I had some ideas about costumes?”

Miss Davis turned, “Oh yes, he mentioned something… What did you have in mind?”

Veronica pulled up her Pinterest board and scrolled through it. “For the Athenians I was thinking of convertible maxi dresses, cause we can drape them so they look sort of Greek-inspired. And then for the fairies I was thinking a lot of tulle and flowers, purples and greens.”

Miss Davis looked thrilled, but Kevin’s eyebrows rose higher and higher. “Veronica, how do you think you’re gonna be able to pull that off? It’s so complicated!”

“Well a lot of things I’m buying, and the rest I’m just… altering a bit. Tulle is super cheap, so I can just buy a million yards of white tulle and dye it whatever color I want.”

Miss Davis beamed. “That sounds amazing, Veronica, I love it!” Veronica grinned at Kevin, who shook his head.

“You’re crazy, Veronica.”

“You’ll see, Kevin, it’ll be great,” she said, totally confident.

Between school, rehearsals, and doing costumes, the days all started to blend together, like that Groundhog Movie Veronica had never bothered to watch.

Yell at Archie. Hold hands with Jughead. Stage kiss. Pretend to do homework backstage. Pretend to slap Betty. Wake up dazed and confused in the woods. Go home and try to actually do homework. Rinse, repeat.

The second day after they went off-script, she was sitting on stage, running through her Act Two scene with Jughead. He took her hand and held it to his chest. “I mean that my heart unto yours is knit,” he said, looking at her with an earnestness she’d never seen before. “So that but one heart we can make of it. Two bosoms interchained with an oath, so then, two bosoms, and a single troth.”

He was a better actor than she’d given him credit for. Veronica looked up at him through her eyelashes. “Lysander riddles very prettily,” she said coyly. “Now much beshrew my manners and my pride, if Hermia meant to say Lysander _lied_!”

She almost made it to the end of her speech before she had to pause, searching for the words, and Jughead mouthed _So far._ Oh, right. “So far be distant, and good night, sweet friend! Thy love ne’er alter, till thy sweet life end!”

He glanced at her lips and tilted his head, and without thinking, Veronica leaned forward and kissed him.

It lasted for only two heartbeats -- just long enough for Jughead to breathe in sharply and for her brain to suddenly whir back to life. His lips softened against hers just as she pulled away. “Oh my God,” she said, covering her mouth with her hand and turning a bright, boiling scarlet. “I’m so sorry, I turned the wrong way!”

Jughead looked shell shocked, or punch drunk, and reached up and ran his fingers against his mouth. His hand dropped and she thought _Oh God, he has lipstick on his fingers._

He raised his eyebrows. “Who among us?” he quipped, and then he took her hand, picking up the thread of the scene. “Amen, amen, to that fair prayer say I!”

Veronica felt herself relax, even though she could hear giggles and catcalls echoing faintly from the back of the auditorium. Jughead leaned in and kissed her forehead before sliding a few feet away. “Here is my bed; sleep give thee all his rest.”

“With half that wish the wisher’s eyes be pressed,” she said. She laid down to “sleep” and noticed that she had smudges of lipstick on her fingers too.

Jughead exited first, and when she walked off after him she found him waiting in the wings. “Hi, you… have some lipstick on your face,” she said, reaching up to wipe it off.

“Oh, thanks,” he said. He held perfectly still while she fussed over his face. “At least Davis can't say she needs to see more passion.”

Veronica laughed, slightly breathless. “Perfect, my evil plan worked.” He smirked, and she held her breath, terrified that he would see straight through her.

But he just cleared his throat and bit his lip. “So, am I good?”

She was still touching his face. She brushed off one last invisible smudge of lipstick and nodded. “Mhmm. Is my lipstick a disaster?”

“No, it’s fine,” he said, his voice soft. “You ready?”

“Yeah,” Veronica said. “This’ll be fun!”

Cheryl looked up and cat called as they walked down the stairs. “That was a great kiss, Veronica!”

Veronica rolled her eyes, but before she could answer Jughead said “No, it was my fault, I bobbed when she weaved.”

Veronica tried to look like this wasn’t news to her. “Oh,” Cheryl said, pouting and turning back to the video Ginger was watching on her phone.

Jughead winked at her. “See? Me doing something embarrassing is a lot less interesting.” And with that he walked over and collapsed in the seat next to Archie, reaching over to steal a potato chip.

The next few rehearsals Veronica spent all the time she wasn’t on stage dip dying tulle for the fairy costumes. The Pinterest tutorial had looked so easy, but it had somehow failed to mention how much dye splattered _ev.er.y.where_. Thank God Veronica was wearing all black. And had stolen one of the drop clothes the set painters had used.

Miss Davis had to call her name three times before she realized she’d missed her cue, and she carefully skipped through the buckets of dye and ran for the stage.

Archie winked at her and ducked out onto stage, and Veronica nearly tripped trying to keep up with him. “O, why rebuke you him that loves you so?” Archie pleaded, making his patented puppy dog eyes at her.

Veronica bit back a smile and pointed a finger at him threateningly. “Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse, for thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse.”

“Good, Veronica,” Miss Davis called from the auditorium, making her forget her next line for a second.

She sighed and yelled, “Line!”

Kevin's disembodied voice floated from backstage. “If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep…”

Veronica repeated the line, and miraculously made it to the end of the speech. “It cannot be but thou hast murdered him; so should a murderer look; so dead, so grim.”

Archie bit his lip. “So should the murdered look; and so should I, pierced through the heart with your stern cruelty.” Veronica scoffed and crossed her arms. Archie’s voice softened. “Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear as yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere.”

“Good, Archie, that’s perfect!” Miss Davis said. Archie made a face at Veronica and she smiled.

“What’s this to my Lysander? Where is he?” She put her hand on Archie’s arm, batting her lashes at him. She had to admit, Hermia knew how to play the game. “Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?”

Archie’s eyes dropped to her lips, and he leaned down. Veronica’s breath lodged in her throat. “I had rather give his carcass to my hounds,” Archie said, his voice cold and Veronica pushed him away from her.

She yelled at him for a minute (yelling was Hermia’s favorite hobby) until Archie finally admitted that he hadn’t killed Lysander. “I pray thee tell me then that he is well,” Veronica said breathlessly.

Archie caught her arm, pulling her closer. “An if I could, what should I get therefore?”

Veronica looked up into those brown eyes, and whispered, “A privilege, never to see me more.”

“Louder, Veronica!” Miss Davis called, breaking the spell. She said her lines louder and exited, her cheeks suddenly warm.

After rehearsal, Miss Davis asked for an impromptu costume try-on session, so Veronica ran around making sure everyone was wearing the right thing. And then, after Miss Davis made 3,000 notes about changes, Veronica had to pester everyone to hang up their costumes while she put all the props back in the boxes.

Of course when she was done, everyone had left, so she stared up at the shelf, which was way out of reach. She took her heels off and dragged a chair over, but even with the extra 3 feet she was still too short. She glared at the shelf for daring to inconvenience her when she heard a chuckle behind her. “Need a hand?”

She turned and saw Archie leaning against the doorframe, smirking up at her. She laughed. “Can you be tall for me?” she asked, climbing carefully off the chair.

“Sure,” he quipped, climbing up and sliding the box onto the shelf like it was nothing. He jumped down and smiled at her, and she felt her stomach do that familiar flip it always used to do when she was around Archie.

She smiled up at him. “Thanks, Archiekins.”

“No problem.” He bit his lip. “What’re you doing tonight?”

“Ummm, nothing much. I was going to do homework with Betty later,” she said, putting her shoes back on.

“I can give you a ride if you want,” Archie offered. “And maybe we could go to Pop’s first?”

Veronica hesitated, and he said, “Nothing… weird, promise. It’s just... we haven’t hung out just us in a while. I miss talking to you.”

She smiled. “Yeah, that sounds fun!”

He grinned and said, “I’ll go grab my stuff, and then we can head out.”

“Ok,” she said, and started packing up her bag. _It’s just Archie_ , she told herself firmly. _That’s what I’m afraid of_ , the voice of reason whispered, but she ignored it. Since when was it weird around _Archie_?

Archie let her pick the music, so she picked The Wombats - upbeat, weird, no potential emotional gut punches. Archie raised an eyebrow. “The Wombats? Really?”

She shrugged. “What? They’re good.”

“I just didn’t know anyone but Jughead even knew they existed.” His voice was light, but she still blushed. He glanced over and said, “Oh god, Ronnie, I wasn’t even talking about that…”

“I know, it’s just, embarrassing,” she said, covering her face with her hands. “And probably weird for your ex to kiss your best friend.”

He shrugged. “Not really, I mean, I get it.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You do?”

This time _he_ blushed, checking the speedometer to avoid looking her in the eye. “You know what I mean, Ronnie.”

“Ok, Archiekins,” she said, shooting him a skeptical look.

“ _Anyway_ ,” Archie said firmly, pulling into the Pop’s parking lot. “I don’t think you have to worry. Reggie will pants Moose or something and everybody’ll forget all about it.”

“Oh god, I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Veronica said and Archie grinned at her as he put the truck in park.

He held the door open for her, and she had a weird deja vu feeling. She slid into the booth across from him and he flipped open the menu like he always did, even though he _always_ ordered the same thing, and she felt a twinge of nostalgia.

He looked up at her and she smiled brightly. “So what’s good here?” she joked and he smiled.

“I was actually thinking about getting a reuben today,” he said, and she gasped. “I gotta keep you on your toes somehow, Lodge,” he said with a wink.

An hour later he dropped her off outside Betty’s house, and she waved before trooping up the stairs. Alice opened the door when she knocked, and her smile faded slightly. “Hello, Veronica, how are you?”

“Fine,” Veronica said. “I just came over to study with Betty.” Alice pursed her lips, but held the door open, and Veronica took the stairs two at a time before she could change her mind.

Betty’s bedroom door was open, and she was sprawled on her stomach on the bed. “You’re early. Did Smithers drive you today?”

“No, Archie did,” Veronica said, dropping her backpack by the vanity and pushing the door almost closed.

Betty sat up and swung her legs off the bed. “Well this has gotta be good.”

Veronica laughed. “It wasn’t a big thing, he just helped me put some boxes away, and then we went to Pop’s.”

“Mhmm,” Betty said, raising her eyebrows expectantly.

Veronica sighed and fell on her back next to Betty. “It was fine, but… kinda weird. Like it felt like we were on a date.”

Betty frowned. “Was he flirting with you?” she asked in her outraged mom-friend voice.

“No, he was just… being Archie.”

“I get that,” Betty sighed. She bit her lip. “Did you want it to be a date?”

“No,” Veronica said, because she _didn’t_. “We broke up for a reason, but sometimes when I’m alone around him…”

“All the feelings come back.” Betty said. “It was like that for me with Jughead for a while. But it got better eventually.”

Veronica sighed. “But it’s been ages since we broke up! How long is it gonna take?”

Betty cleared her throat. “Well… maybe that should tell you something.”

“What, that I still like Archie?” Betty made her brilliant-deduction-Holmes face, and Veronica groaned. “But I don’t! I swear I don’t!”

Betty looked unconvinced and Veronica groaned. “What am I gonna do?”

“I don’t know,” Betty said. “I’m not so good at feelings either.” She rested her chin on her hand. “They have a habit of popping up at the worst time.”

Veronica sighed. “I know, it’s really rude of them.” She flipped over onto her stomach and reached for her backpack. “Do you wanna get some homework done?”

 

“Ok,” Betty said, humoring her.

Veronica huffed out a sigh and pulled out her biology textbook. _You know you’re desperate for a subject change when you voluntarily start homework._ “So what did Mrs. Waverly say was gonna be on the test again?”

On Monday Miss Davis decided that people should start practicing in costume, even though they weren’t ready, and it was mass chaos. Cheryl lost her shoes every five seconds, somehow Moose ended up with three prop swords, and Veronica was scribbling names on duct tape to mark off faux-cubbies for people to keep their things before Act 3 started.

“And if you put something in the wrong spot I will _not_ help you find it, I’m not your Mom!” she threatened. Cheryl rolled her eyes and Veronica hissed, “Yeah, I’m talking to you Blossom, I know you took your shoes off _again_!” Cheryl huffed and flounced off, hopefully to find her shoes.

Veronica and Jughead were waiting for their cue when Kevin hissed into the mic. “Archie! You’re on!”

Archie rocketed out on stage right, halfway through his costume change. _At least he’s only missing the top half_ , Veronica thought as Archie stood shirtless, blinking into the stage lights.

There were wolf whistles from the back of the auditorium and Archie gave them the finger. “Archie!” Miss Davis said, scandalized.

Veronica turned to roll her eyes at Jughead, and noticed that he was staring at his shoes, his cheeks pink.

Suddenly something clicked into place. “You like Archie,” she said softly.

Jughead looked up at her, startled, but then he shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lodge,” he said, but she just gave him a look, and his shoulders slumped.

“Ok, you’re right… I do,” Jughead said, glancing up at the stage and looking down again. Veronica glanced over and saw Archie holding Betty’s wrists, halfway through his monologue.

She nodded. “So is that why you never wanted to hang out with us when we were dating?” He nodded, still staring at the floor. She chuckled. “I thought it was cause you didn’t like me.”

He looked up at her, serious. “No, Veronica, it wasn’t you. You’re.... Ok sometimes.” She raised an eyebrow and he laughed. “It’s just… it’s hard. To be that close to everything you want.”

He leaned against the wall and smiled ruefully. “The worst part is I really was happy for him. You were good for him.”

Veronica blushed. “Thanks,” she mumbled, grabbing her water bottle to hide her embarrassment. She hopped up on the stool next to him. “So… are you gonna talk to him?”

Jughead raised an eyebrow. “Are you telling me to ask out your ex?”

Veronica shrugged. “I’m just saying, you should talk to him. I think you’d be good for him.” Jughead’s face softened, and she smiled up at him. “You’re already good for him.”

They looked out to the stage, just in time to catch Archie’s eye. They both gave him the thumbs up and he rolled his eyes, smiling as he exited stage right .

Veronica woke up on Sunday in desperate need of pancakes and her mom was out of town, so she drove herself to Pop's. Where Archie and Jughead were sitting in their usual booth, holding hands.

She gave Lisa her to-go order before strolling over. “Hey, lovebirds,” she said with a grin. “How're things?”

Archie blushed and ducked his head, but Jughead rolled his eyes at her. “Alright, alright, you were right, V.”

“I know,” she said primly, and Archie laughed.

“You wanna join us?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Thanks, but Betty and Ethel are coming over to help me with the costumes, and we HAVE to finish today or Kevin will kill me personally.”

“Ok,” Jughead said. “We're still on for tonight, right?”

“Of course, wouldn't miss it,” Veronica said. Lisa called her name and she waved. “See you later!”

She picked up her pancakes and walked out. _It's totally normal to feel sad when your ex boyfriend starts dating someone else_ , she told herself as she opened the car door and slid into the seat.

She put the key in the ignition. _And totally normal to have an accidental kiss with his new boyfriend running through your head on a loop_ . _Totally, totally normal._

She sighed and turned to check her blind spot. Even she wasn't buying it.

Hanging out with Betty and Ethel was exactly what she needed. They danced around to Lizzo, sewing fake flowers haphazardly onto the skirts and trying to sneak them into each others’ hair without getting caught.

Eventually Ethel pulled out her phone to take a picture and gasped. “Oh no, I’m gonna be late to meet Trev!”

Veronica shot Betty a look. “Wait, Trev?” She leaned forward, whispering conspiratorially. “Are you going on a date?”

“No!” Ethel insisted but she blushed. “We’re just doing homework at Pop’s. He asked for help on his English paper.”

“Wait, he asked you to meet at Pop’s, just the two of you?” Betty asked. Ethel nodded and she grinned. “I”m with Veronica on this one, that _totally_ sounds like a date!”

“Really?” Ethel squeaked.

“Hold on,” Veronica said, “Do _you_ want it to be a date, Ethel?”

“Ummmm, I mean, maybe… yes?” Ethel mumbled, blushing harder than ever. “He is cute…”

“And he’s a sweetheart,” Betty said. “Remember how he helped us with the Chuck fiasco?”

“So… what should I do? Do I need to change?” Ethel asked.

“No,” Betty said authoritatively. “You just need to go and have fun. And maybe tell him to be a little less subtle asking you out on the next date.”

Ethel laughed and slid her phone into her purse, when Veronica had an idea. “Wait!” She rummaged through her jewelry box, until she found a silver chain with a tear-shaped pearl. She undid the clasp and held it out. “For good luck.” Ethel smiled and let her loop the chain around her neck.

Betty left for “girls’ night” with her mom and Polly a few minutes after Ethel, so Veronica rushed through an essay comparing Moby Dick to the Pequod’s black hull and crossed her fingers Mr. Samuels would like it.

She swiped on her new favorite lipstick -- Power, by Laura Mercier -- touched up her eyeliner, and then checked her phone. “Shit, I’m late,” she muttered, grabbing her purse. She sent Archie an on-my-way text as she ran out the door.

She picked up three chocolate milkshakes at Pop’s, setting the drink carrier carefully on the front seat and driving slowly so it wouldn’t fly off and spill everywhere.

She finally pulled up outside of Archie’s house, and went up to the front door. It was unlocked, like always, so she let herself in, balancing the milkshakes in her left hand. She dropped her purse onto the side table. “Hey boys--” she said, turning to go into the living room, but then she froze.

Archie was straddling Jughead’s lap, his fingers running through Jughead’s hair. Jughead whispered something, tilting his chin up, and Archie laughed, leaning down to kiss him and Veronica sucked in a breath.

Archie lurched back and stared at her in horror. Jughead looked up at him, confused, but then he followed Archie’s gaze and saw Veronica standing, frozen in the doorway. “Ronnie,” Archie said, holding his hand out beseechingly.

 _Say something Veronica. Anything!_ “The door was unlocked, I…” She held out the drink carrier. “I brought milkshakes?”

Archie slid off of Jughead’s lap, and his face was almost as red as his hair. She set the milkshakes on the coffee table and bolted.

She ran up the stairs to the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. _Oh God oh God oh God._ She looked in the mirror and her cheeks were burning. She turned the water on, got her hands wet and pressed them to her face. This was _not_ the time to ruin her eye makeup.

She heard footsteps coming up the stairs and she shut off the water, wiped her hands off on the towel. “Ronnie?” Archie’s voice came through the door. “Are you ok?”

Veronica huffed out a laugh. “Never better,” she said, her voice too high.

Archie sighed. “I’m sorry,” he said, and he sounded so small.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” she said, looking at her nails. There was a chip on her thumb.“I’m not upset, just… mortified.”

Archie chuckled. “I know the feeling,” he said.

Veronica sat down on the edge of the bathtub, trying to get her whirling thoughts in order. She wasn’t upset. Embarrassed, yes. Jealous... a little bit. But then she thought _I wanted to watch_ and turned tomato red all over again. What was _wrong_ with her?

She heard Archie sit down and lean back against the wall. “Can you come out, Ronnie? We can drink the milkshakes and practice lines.”

She sighed and stood up. “Can we pretend I didn’t walk in on you guys making out?”

“100% yes,” Archie said, and she took a deep breath. She was Veronica fucking Lodge, and Lodges don’t back down. She opened the door. He scrambled to his feet and looked down at her. “I’m sorry, Ronnie,” he whispered.

She smiled up at him. “Seriously, Archie, it’s ok. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

He smiled sheepishly, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. “Well, I probably should’ve checked my phone,” he said, and she laughed.

“Yeah, probably,” she said. “Come on, or the milkshakes will melt.” She turned to walk downstairs, but Archie caught her hand.

“Ronnie… thanks,” he said.

She looked up into those earnest brown eyes and felt herself melt a little. “For what?” she asked.

“For… everything,” he said.

She stood up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “Of course, Archie,” she said. “We’re ride or die, you know that.”

He smiled, relief written across his face. “Yeah, I do,” he said, and Veronica smiled and walked downstairs.

She walked into the living room and found Jughead laying on the floor, his face buried in his arms. She poked him with her toe. “Hey Jughead.”

“Hi Veronica,” he said, muffled. “If it makes you feel better, I’ve died a thousand deaths in the past 20 minutes.”

She laughed. “Weird, me too.” She picked up two of the milkshakes and held one out to him. “But I’ve heard chocolate ice cream does wonders for near-death experiences.”

He peeked up at her. “Too good to verify,” he quipped, sitting up and taking the cup from her. “V…” he spun the straw absentmindedly. “I’m sorry.”

She smiled and sat on the couch, smoothing her skirt carefully. “Jughead, it’s ok. You don’t have to be sorry.” He looked up at her searchingly, just as Archie walked in.

“So, I ordered a pizza,” he said. “I figured we should postpone the inevitable sugar crash.” His shoulder brushed against Veronica’s as he sat next to her on the couch, and she blushed. Jughead’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she plastered on a smile.

“As long as you didn’t get olives,” she said, taking a sip of her milkshake.

“Oh, damn, I asked for _extra_ olives,” Archie said with a shit-eating grin, and she gasped in faux-horror.

“And extra mushrooms, right?” Jughead said with a smirk.

“That’s the last time I buy you losers milkshakes,” Veronica teased, and Jughead threw his hand over his heart and slumped to the ground dramatically.

She and Archie laughed and Jughead opened one eye, grinning up at them.

It felt almost normal. Almost.

The next day Veronica was putting her Calculus book in her locker before lunch when Jughead materialized next to her. “So, how about we bail on Meatloaf Surprise for the day?” he asked, leaning against the lockers like an 80’s movie heartthrob.

Veronica raised an eyebrow. “But you love meatloaf surprise,” she said, and he grinned.

“Well, I was craving tacos from Marta’s, so I just thought…”

Jughead _never_ wanted to go to Marta's. Veronica’s eyes narrowed. “You’re up to something, Jughead Jones.”

Jughead raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know what you’re talking about --” he said, the picture of outraged innocence, and Veronica folded her arms and smirked up at him.

“Come on, Jones, you have to try harder than _that_ to fool me.” He gave her that trademark lopsided grin, and her breath caught in her chest, entirely without her permission. She cleared her throat. “If I say I’ll go, will you tell me what the sting operation is for?”

“Sure, that’s kind of the whole point,” he said and she rolled her eyes as she opened her locker to get her keys. “Wait,” Jughead said, jangling Archie’s keyring.

Her eyebrows shot up. “You’re driving? In Archie’s truck?”

“Yep.” She pursed her lips and he sighed. “I didn’t steal his keys, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“I was actually wondering if the world was ending,” she said primly, and he huffed out a laugh.

“Shall we?” he asked, holding out his arm.

She gave him a skeptical look as she settled her hand in the crook of his elbow. “I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?”

He raised an eyebrow. “But you love Marta’s.”

“Not what I meant,” she said, and he laughed.

“Come on, V, it’ll be fine. It’s just me,” he said.

 _That’s what I’m worried about,_ Veronica thought as they walked out into the blazing sunlight.

As soon as she’d climbed into the truck she turned to Jughead expectantly. “So, what’s the deal, Jones?”

Jughead took entirely too long buckling his seatbelt and checking the mirrors. “Alright, I… wanted to talk about last night,” he finally admitted, turning the key in the ignition.

“I thought we agreed we were going to pretend that didn’t happen,” she said lightly.

“That was you and Archie,” Jughead pointed out, putting the truck in gear carefully, as if it might burst into flames any minute. “I wasn’t consulted.”

She took a deep breath. “I’m still dying of embarrassment,” she admitted.

Jughead licked his lips. “That makes two of us,” he said, throwing his arm across the back of her seat so he could check behind them.

Veronica closed her eyes, running through all the possibilities from least to most embarrassing. “Ok, what do you want to talk about?”

He looked over at her, his green eyes totally serious. “Do you still have feelings for Archie?” he asked.

She stared at him blankly. “What? No!”

Jughead raised an eyebrow. “You’re gonna have to try harder than that to fool me, Lodge,” he said, and Veronica laughed. Only Jughead could use her own line against her.

She ran her fingers through her hair. “Alright… I might have _some_ feelings for Archie,” she said, and Jughead nodded, like he’d already known the answer. Which, of course, he had.

Jughead pulled up to the stop sign, and looked over at her. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, his voice so soft she almost couldn’t hear him over the roar of the engine

“It was a... recent realization,” she said. She ran her fingers along the hem of her skirt, tugging at a loose thread. “I’m sorry, I’m not trying to make things weird for you, or... “ She waved her hand vaguely. “Sabotage you or something.”

Jughead glanced at her incredulously. “Wait, you think I’m mad?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Most people would be.”

“Veronica, you saw me making out with your ex, who you still have feelings for,” Jughead said. “And you think I’m mad at _you_ for that?”

“But you didn’t know!” Veronica said.

Jughead sighed. “I know, but Veronica --”

“Don’t ‘but Veronica’ me!” she said firmly. “If you’re not mad at me, and I’m not mad at you, then everything’s fine!” He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. She leaned over and nudged his arm with her elbow. “It was just a mixup, Jughead.”

He bit his lip. “I know, I just feel… guilty.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be you if you didn’t feel guilty about _something_.”

“Ouch,” he said, but he gave her a lopsided smile. Veronica grinned.

“Seriously, Jughead, it’s ok for you to kiss your boyfriend. Especially cause I’m the one who told you to talk to him!”

“That’s true,” Jughead said, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel thoughtfully as he pulled into the parking lot.

Veronica let out a quick sigh of relief. “So we’re good?” she asked.

He smiled. “Yeah, we’re good.”

She grinned. “Good. Now I don’t know about you, but I need some tacos.” She popped the door open and slid out of the truck.

She thought she was in the clear, but Jughead asked “So, are you going to talk to him?” right as she dipped a chip into the salsa.

Her eyebrows shot up, and she said, “Who?” to buy time as she popped the chip in her mouth.

Jughead gave her an exasperated look. “Archie.”

She shook her head. “Absolutely not.”

“Veronica --”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” she insisted. “We had our shot, and it didn’t work out, and he’s moved on. It’s fine.”

Jughead leaned across the table. “That’s not how that works, Ronnie…”

Hearing that nickname knocked the wind out of her. “You never call me Ronnie,” she whispered.

“Sorry -- do you not want me to?” Jughead asked, looking horrified.

Veronica blinked a few times. She was _not_ going to tear up in front of Jughead. “No, it’s fine. It just caught me off guard, that’s all.”

He buried his face in his hands. “God, I’m the worst at this,” he groaned.

“You’re fine, it’s just been a lot all at once,” she said. “Emotions suck.”

“They’re literally the worst,” Jughead agreed, and she laughed.

Just then Chris came up with their order. “I’ve got two tacos al pastor and the carnitas,” he said, placing them carefully on the table. “Let me know if I can get you guys anything else.”

“Great, thanks!” Veronica said. As soon as Chris’ back was turned she and Jughead swapped plates.

Veronica swiped the hot sauce bottle before Jughead could grab it and smirked as she twisted off the cap.

They ate in silence for a minute, and it was… nice. Like they’d called a temporary truce. Jughead even insisted on paying. “You’ve bought me, like, a million milkshakes, V, it’s fine.” It almost felt like a date.

Which would’ve been _very weird_ , if Jughead hadn’t sent an opening salvo as they walked across the parking lot. “I really do think you should talk to him, V.”

“Why?” she asked, eyes narrowed. “Why are you pushing for this so hard?”

He flushed. “Cause you guys were like the OTP, and --”

“Wait, wait, wait, hold up. _You_ know what an OTP is?” she asked, grinning from ear to ear.

He sighed and opened the truck door. “Yes, Veronica, I’ve been on the internet.”

She laughed and climbed into the cab. “Ok, who’re yours then?”

He pursed his lips. “You’re stalling.”

“I am not, you opened yourself up to that one. Spill.”

He rolled his eyes and started the truck. “Not happening, Lodge.”

They bickered the whole ride back, but when he parked Veronica leaned over, resting her hand on his knee. “Thanks for lunch, Torombolo,” she said.

He gave her another lopsided smile. “Anytime.”

She winked at him and opened the door.

Rehearsal went well -- no one went out half naked on stage this time, at least. Miss Davis even let them go home early so they could “rest up for tech week,” and she and Kevin traded worried looks.

She was the last one in the costume room when Betty came to find her. “Hey, Betts,” Veronica said, picking up a fairy skirt that had fallen off the rack. “You coming to Archie’s tonight?”

“Sorry, I can’t, I promised Polly I’d babysit,” she said. “Do you think you’ll be ok?”

“Yeah,” Veronica said. “I had lunch with Jughead, and he tried to get me to talk to Archie about my feelings, can you believe it?”

Betty’s eyebrows rose. “Really?”

“I know!” Veronica said, flipping through the rack to make sure everything was there. “But I think I convinced him that’s not gonna happen.”

“Mhmm.”

Veronica shot a look over at her. “What?”

“Nothing,” Betty said, but she had that I-know-something-you-don’t look she usually used on the boys.

“Ok…” Veronica said. What was she missing? She sighed and looked around one last time. “Tell the twins I say hi.”

Betty smiled. “I will.” She pulled Veronica in for a hug, and Veronica breathed in the cherry blossom lotion Betty always wore. “Text me if there’s a boy emergency.”

Veronica rolled her eyes. “Please, I think I can handle Jughead and Archie.”

Betty laughed. “I know, but still.”

Everything was fine at Archie's, and Veronica had finally relaxed when Jughead slipped out of the room. Her eyes narrowed.

“I'm gonna get a drink,” she said, and then she followed him.

Jughead was leaning against the kitchen counter, scrolling through his phone when she walked in. His eyes narrowed as she opened the fridge door. “Hey, V.”

“Hey Torombolo.” She pulled out a bottle of water. “I know what you're doing, by the way.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“You think you can try to set me up with Archie and I wouldn't notice?”

“I'm not doing anything, I was just… giving you the chance to talk to him.”

“Jughead!” Veronica said, folding her arms across her chest.

Archie poked his head into the kitchen. “Hey, you guys ok?”

Veronica glanced up at Jughead and then took a sip of her water. “Yeah, everything's fine.”

Archie looked between them, panicked. “Is this about the other night?”

“No,” Veronica said, looking over at Jughead, who just folded his arms and looked at her, eyebrows raised. Of course he wouldn't be any help.

She sighed and looked at her shoes.  “It's just, Jughead figured out that I maybestillhavefeelingsforyou,” she said, as if saying it faster and avoiding eye contact would make it better.

Archie's face softened, and he looked at her shyly. “Really?” But then he glanced up at Jughead, a confused crease between his eyebrows. “But I thought…” Veronica flushed deep red all over again.

Archie looked down, a flush spreading across his cheeks. “Do you think we could all… you know…” He bit his lip, staring down at the cracks in the linoleum.

“What, date each other?” Veronica asked, her voice shrill and loud over the rushing sound in her ears. _Is this what a stroke feels like?_

Jughead chuckled and leaned against the counter. “Well that doesn't seem fair to Veronica,” he said, smiling softly. “Since she doesn't like me.”

Veronica looked from Archie to Jughead. _This is it. This is definitely what a stroke feels like._

She swallowed. “Well…”

Jughead stared at her, slack-jawed. “W-what?”

She ran her fingers through her hair. “I do... like you. But I know you like Archie, and you don't like me, and that's fine…”

Jughead frowned. “You think I don't like you?”

Veronica rolled her eyes. “Ok, I know you ‘think I'm ok sometimes…’” she said, but before she could finish he leaned down and kissed her cheek, his lips just barely brushing against hers.

She stared up at him in shock, and he looked at her like he _knew_ her. He cupped her face with his hand, running his thumb along her cheekbone reverently. “When I said you and Archie were everything I wanted… I meant it,” he whispered, low enough so only she could hear it.

She reached up and grabbed his jacket, standing on tiptoe, and kissed him. His hands dropped to her waist, and he pulled her close. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, almost knocking his hat off. It felt like jumping off the bridge into Sweetwater River on a dare -- the thrill and the adrenaline, and then the current pulling at her legs while she came up for air.

And then she heard Archie sigh behind her.

Jughead pulled back, looking over her shoulder guiltily, with lipstick all over his face. “Arch, I- I…”

She looked back and saw Archie, looking flushed and dreamy and shy. His eyes were darker brown than normal. “Do you like watching?” she asked softly, and Archie nodded, biting his lip and blushing even more.

Veronica looked at Jughead and tilted her head. Jughead’s eyes flicked from her to Archie, and back to her, and she nodded. She stood on tiptoe and he ducked down to meet her halfway and kissed her, slow and sweet, until she sighed and reached up to cup his face.

“Shit,” Archie muttered under his breath.

She grabbed Archie’s hand to pull him closer and kissed him. He sighed against her lips, and she smiled. If kissing Jughead was like jumping into Sweetwater River, kissing Archie was like waking up on a sunny morning with the scent of coffee trailing up the stairs.

She pulled back and Archie gave her a dazed smile, lipstick smeared on his lips too. “God, I missed you, Ronnie.” She smiled and kissed along his jaw.

Archie bit his lip and looked over her shoulder. She turned to look back at Jughead, who was flushed, looking like he wasn’t sure he was really invited, like he might be sent away at any moment.

Archie’s face softened. “Juggie,” he murmured, his voice pitched low, and Jughead’s gaze snapped up to meet his. Archie cupped the back of his neck with his left hand, and they collided, and it took Veronica’s breath away. Jughead’s hands traced down Archie’s chest, knotting in his jacket.

Veronica held her breath, and stood up on tiptoe and kissed Jughead’s throat, and he gasped against Archie’s lips. “Shit, Ronnie,” he whispered, his voice ragged, and it sent a thrill down her spine.

“Hey, come here,” Archie said, reaching for their hands. He lead them into the living room and pulled them down to the couch next to him.

Veronica leaned in and kissed Archie, running her hands down his chest and shivering as his fingers slowly traced up her back. “It’s a little different than the last time somebody was kissing in here,” Jughead said, a soft smile playing on his lips.

Archie smiled. “Just a little.” He turned his head and kissed Jughead softly, and Veronica melted against his chest.

“Glad I’m not the only one who likes watching.”

Archie and Jughead broke apart and started down at her, wide-eyed. “Really?” Archie asked breathlessly.

She nodded, looking down sheepishly. “Why do you think I was hiding in the bathroom?”

“I wish I’d known that then,” Jughead said. “I would’ve been a lot less embarrassed.”

Veronica lauged, until Archie caught Jughead’s lips in a kiss so slow and languid she buried her face in his shirt. “Are you trying to kill me?” she asked, and Archie laughed.

“Sorry, babe,” he said, and she looked up at him.

“You are not,” she said, and for revenge she leaned across him to kiss Jughead, smiling against his lips when she heard Archie sigh.

Eventually she was sitting between them, her head on Jughead’s shoulder and her legs thrown across Archie’s lap. Without thinking, he reached for her calf, rubbing the spot that was always sore after she’d been wearing heels all day. She sighed contentedly, until his fingers traced over that one ticklish spot right behind her knee.

“Archie!!” she squealed, and Archie grinned at her, unrepentant.

Jughead whispered in her ear, “He’s really ticklish right above his ribs.”

Archie’s eyes widened. “Wait, Ronnie, I’m sorry --” but she ignored him, tickling him until he jerked back and almost fell off the couch.

“Is this what it’s gonna be like?” he asked, when he finally caught his breath. “You two ganging up on me all the time?”

Veronica raised her eyebrows and glanced over at Jughead. “Yep,” she said, grabbing Archie’s shirt and pulling him in for a kiss. “You better get used to it.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you SO much for reading! I hope you enjoy it! <3
> 
> "Call it love in idleness" is another name for pansy, which is the flower Oberon uses to cause so much drama in the play. Apparently purple pansies are the ones to watch out for. ;)
> 
> There also may or may not be a John Tucker Must Die reference hidden in here. (Do people still watch that movie??)
> 
> This one was unexpectedly tough to write (maybe because I'm a former theater kid who had unrequited crushes on fellow cast members? lol) so it was kind of cathartic to write. At least I got something out of my half-finished theatre minor!


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